Acting president Osinbajo orders overhauling of SARS; orders investigation into the alleged unlawful activities

After so many complaints of the abuse of power by the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to, with immediate effect, shut down the Squad.

The order follows persistent complaints and reports on the activities of SARS that border on allegations of human rights violations, which is after many months of online and street outcry of the #ENDSARS campaign.

In a statement signed on Tuesday by his Osinbajo's media aide, Laolu Akande, the IGP has been instructed to ensure that any Unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven, restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery, kidnapping, apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.

A statement from Laolu Akande, the media aide of the acting president, reads;"Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Acting-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more".

Read the full statement below

The #EndSARS campaign Chief, Segun Awosanya who also confirmed the report, wrote;

"We WON Guys! #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG @julietkego @[email protected] Time to build a new. The #NewNigeria is real. Congrats to @PoliceNG as we begin to reform. Out with the Old and welcome the New. #OsinbajoDelivers

"Thanks @yemusan1 @koredebello @RuggedyBaba @[email protected] @Iykepfs @DrArowoloAyoola @ikehiemma and all the great people out there that have been contributing daily in the past one year. Now to focus on monitoring sustainably #ReformPoliceNG

"The Devil is in the details. The implementation of the order is key. We will remain vigilant as we press on to ensure effective monitoring. Humans are weakest at the point of success but we must understand that success by itself is a journey & never a destination".